Magdaline is enjoying a quiet moment before dinner rush when along comes Xanthee

When

It is afternoon of the nineteenth day of the fourth month of the fourteenth turn of the 12th pass.

Where

Living Cavern, Igen Weyr

OOC Date

23 Jun 2018 04:00

"Although it looks like you've found something to keep yourself busy?"

Living Cavern

Brightly lit by a regimented march of strung glow-globes, Igen's busy living caverns are cut of the same exotic limestone design that frequents the bazaar without. Tapestries line the tops of the walls, one for each of Igen's wings, past and present; beneath them, skybroom tables litter the floors in scattered profusion. Some of the wicker chairs have seen better days, but most of the worst offenders have long-ago been replaced. The seemingly random placement of furniture, however, at closer inspection yields a sort of cross-shape of negative space. The northernmost walls and nooks of the caverns are owned by the kitchen's buffet, food-laden thrice daily in regimented shifts by busy bakers from the curtained southern entrance to the kitchens. To the east is a large arch leading outside; westerly lies the large doors leading down into the bowels of the weyr itself.

One of the things about being responsible for ensuring the Weyr's meal services actually happen means that frequently Cremla's staff may be occupied during actual meal hours, but they all have to eat eventually. Magdaline's actually managed to grab a plate of wherry salad before it was cleared off to make way for dinner food and a table nestled over in the corner. And for once, not even a clipboard to be found! Just a plate, a fork, and a glass of iced tea.

From the inner caverns wanders a raven haired young woman, her emerald eyes down on the report in one hand as her other absently guides a meatroll to her mouth to chew thoughtfully. Having grown up in these caverns, she barely has to look up as she dodges tables and people automatically. Dressed in a rather simple green tunic dress that falls to her knees, she has a bulky looking satchel swing over one shoulder. Finally a few paces from Magdaline's table, she blinks twice and looks up in earnest, a slight look of confusion on her face to find herself in that spot. "I was headed for the klah table…" she mumbles absently to herself before catching sight of the older assistant headwoman, a warm smile on her lips as she tips her head, "Quiet before the storm?" she muses.

Magdaline might not actually have any visible work in front of her, but that doesn't mean she's not keeping a close eye on the few people drifting through the caverns at this hour, and even closer eye on the girl coming straight towards her. It's with a bit of a wry grin the the assistant headwoman sets down her fork. "No, the klah tables are still where we left them. Try to move them and there'd be a riot before dawn." That's not an understatement at all. She gives a brief nod for the question. "Indeed. Although it looks like you've found something to keep yourself busy?" There's a not-so-subtle glance towards the bulky satchel that Xanthee's carrying.

Looking in the direction of those forementioned tables, Xanthee smiles sheepishly and bobs her head, "Yeah, I figured as much, just took the wrong turn back there I guess." When Magdaline's gaze drops to her satchel, Xan's follows it and then she smiles wryly, "Oh this? This is my bag." There's an almost reverential tone to the simple word, as she reaches out to pat it as if it were a beloved pet. "It's like a portable office. Everything I need for my work day is in here," she beams with a little pride as she folds up the report she was reading and sticks it in one of the side pockets.

If there's anybody around that can appreciate good organization, it's Magdaline, and the older woman does give another nod at the mention of a portable office, even as she's giving it a closer visual inspection. "I certainly can't fault anybody for wanting to be prepared, but you might want to make sure you just keep it to the essentials. Or get a bag with two straps. All that weight on one shoulder constantly?" She gives a little shake of her head. "You might not feel it now. But in a turn or five… it'll catch up with you."

"That's the thing, this is just the essentials," Xanthee replies with a soft giggle, "The first few sevens after I started work as Nasrin's assistant, I was spending half my time hunting things down as they were needed and that was just completely inefficient." Her words are punctuated with a dimissive wave of her hand, "So I figured out exactly what I'd need on a regular basis and then got a bag that could fit it and any reports I'm hauling around with me as well." Flipping open the flap, she reveals that the inside is about halfway full of hidework and the rest seems to be organized in small pockets and compartments. "Cost a pretty mark, but so worth it."

Magdaline raises a bit of an eyebrow at the thought that that's the essentials, while she carefully stabs a tiny tomato with her fork. "You don't have to carry the entire archives around with you. Sometimes, it may actually be better not to have the exact report with you in a meeting. Of course you're reading the reports before the meeting to be familiar enough with the topic, but having an excuse of 'we'll need to research and return back to that topic at a later date' is a skill that's come in handy more times than I can count." From the professional bean counter. "But it does look like a very sturdy bag."

Xanthee's shoulders slump minutely as she loses her smile for a fraction of a second before she returns the flap to it's proper place, "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." Finally remembering the meatroll she was munching on, she takes another thoughtful bite. "I just like being prepared is all," she says with an air of finality for that topic. "So how are things with you then?" she asks cheerfully before taking another bite.

"It's a balancing act," Magdaline at least still has a warm smile for the young assistant (something that might shock some of the previous candidates to come through Igen's barracks). "It took me turns to accept that being prepared for everything just isn't possible. Nasrin knows that. Cremla and Diem as well. They should all just expect you to be as prepared as possible, and ready to search for further information if needed." That tomato quickly disappears before she moves on to answer the last. "Can I ever answer that question without busy? The Weyrleader's suggestion to another Tourney seems to have sparked a great deal of interest lately."

"It's not really about their expectations, it's just finding my way of making things work," Xanthee replies in a rather cryptic manner before again using a flick of her hand to dismiss the topic again, putting that smile back on her face, "But I definitely appreciate the advice of one so…wise as you." Was that a light jab at the older woman? There certainly is a dash of playfulness in her tone. At the mention of the tourney, Xan lights up even further, "I know! Isn't it great? I think I was 10 or 11 Turns maybe the last time one was held. I'm so stoked that H'rik's bringing it back. Can't wait to hear what kind of events they are going to have." Bouncing a softly on the balls of her feet shows just how excited about this turn of evens the girl is.

If Magdaline had her reading glasses with her, they'd be lowered just a bit as she stares over at Xanthee for that age jab, but lighthearded as it was, she shrugs it off. "I probably deserve that, as my daughters would definitely point out." One of which is a few turns senior to Xan. And her excitement about the Tourney is infectious enough to get another smile from Mags. "Well, what events would you like to see? I know H'rik has mentioned that he wants to have ground crews involved as well this time. Some of the handimen have dragged the older spare flamethrowers out of storage and have been doing… something with them." She waves a bit of a hand as she continues to pick another few pieces of her salad.

"Well that's certainly interesting," Xanthee ponders the idea of an event for ground crews, a puzzled frown forming between her brows, "I'm guessing they won't be using actual flame? At least I hope not." She'd been told enough growing up that flamethroweres were not toys to be played with. "I don't know really, I like watching the rider events personally. All the best of the best flying," she sighs wisfully as she finalyl slides into a seat across from Magdaline, letting her bag settle to the floor with a thump. "I just hope it does something about morale, everyone's been so tense lately," she remarks with a soft sigh.

"Some just running with the empty canisters," Magdaline clarifies a bit further, "But I hear there will be at least one event that's for precision flaming. In a sandy area with lots of water around. The wings occasionally have live flame rope drills. Ground crew needs to practice as well." Up until now, she has mostly gracefully managed to eat the salad, but that's because Magdaline was picking out the more convenient bits. Now she comes to a full chunk of wherry that definitely isn't bite sized and it takes more than a little sawing with the fork to get into smaller pieces and she does nod about the tensions. "I think that's one of the reasons why there will also be groundcrew events. Some people have been forgetting that every person in the Weyr has a critical role to play in everything working." The one thing Igen's sand can grow like nothing else, it's definitely grumblings of all sorts.

"Oh well that sounds like fun, never did get the hang of one of those myself," Xanthee admits before finishing off the last bite of her meatroll before licking the crumbs from her fingertips. At Magdaline's last, Xan's bobs her head a little bit with a shrug, "Don't know how people manage to forget that. We got it drilled into us in our lessons as soon as they started." There's a heavy roll of her eyes to encompass her irritation for people who forget the fundamental lessons. "Have you heard about all the thefts in the Bazaar? I think they should pay more attention to their own troubles than ours to be honest," no gossip is safe from Xan, she hears it all.

"Really?" Magdaline sounds genuinely surprised. "At some point you'll probably be in some meetings with smiths regarding flamethrowers." At least Nasrin doesn't have a habit of dropping her flamethrowers from the skies. "It's been a long time since some of them have been in harpers lessons." Considering the old aunties and uncles and even some wingleaders like I'in from Oasis have been the most vocal finger pointers. The older woman does give a bit of side eye at the mention of Bazaar and they. "Be careful, or you might sound like someone who is complaining about troubles instead of fixing them. A good deal of Igen's tithes come through trading from the Bazaar." And not even a late lunch can go completely interrupted. A bronze firelizard banded in Fort's colors appears and heads straight for Magdaline with a note that she scans and then tucks into her pocket. "If you'll excuse me…" She's going to assume the answer is yes as she's already heading to deposit her half eating salad in the bin to be properly disposed of.

"I know about them, and I've taken lessons, but I just never got the hang of using one," Xanthee shrugs easily but then looks moderately chastised at the older woman's next, "Don't you think I know that? I spent last autumn working when the tithes were brought in. I'm not complaining or courting trouble. I'm just relaying what I've heard," and maybe offereing a dash of opinion, but that's not really new from this barely adult. When the bronze firelizard arrives, she merely nods Magdaline on her way, knowing how it does when one gets those kinds of notes. Sitting for a moment longer before she gets up and hefts her bag to her shoulder again and is off to find that mug of klah she was looking for earlier.